I've mixed together 4 cups of self-raising flour, a small bottle of cream and a can of lemonade. I've rolled out the mixture, cut it into squares, placed it on a cold tray and baked it in a preheated oven for 10 minutes until golden brown on top.

I promise you, these are the lightest scones you'll ever taste! I've whipped up some cream (yes more - lil piggy!) and have a mixture of jams - strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant and apricot. Choose your jam and tuck in everybody.

Mel, this should give you enough energy to finish that last card.

I'd like to add something to the 'temperaments' debate, but need to go and serve up to the family their corned beef dinner. May be later ..

But I've fiddled in the kitchen, and you're RIGHT! They are as light as a feather, and taste really good. Had mine with apricot jam.... and another with raspberry.... and another with blackcherry jam..... (I like cherries). And of course CREAM!

Mel, these will set you up fine

The Temperaments: Mel fully describes and explains the Temperaments in his other threads (here, in maseille decks) - with images etc. Just look for his posts.

Each of the four Elements is a combination of two Powers. The Powers, like the Elements are not talking about actual substances, but are 'code words' for a collection of related qualities that share certain behaviors. The four Powers are:

Heat - Causes things of the same kind to join, so each seeks it's own and things that are different separate, hence it is the source of separation, differentiation, discrimination, dissociation, and opposition. Heat is expansive, outward directed, energetic. It is speed. It is the cause of change, analysis, judgement, justice, honesty, critical thinking, skillfulness, diligence, authority, selfishness, intolerance, willfulness, and dominance.

Dryness - Dryness is contractive, gives shape and is formative. It causes rigidity, solidity, purpose, and practicality. It is unreceptive, inflexible, commanding, arguing, strict, concrete, of long duration, and grounded.

Moisture - Has a lack of self-determination, and conforms to its surroundings. It is receptive, adaptive, form receiving, flexible, fluid, short of duration, mercurial, unreliable, indefinite and lacking self control. It is agile, gentle, obedient, conforming, passive, yielding, accommodating, weak, sensitive, understanding, kind, empathetic, and compassionate.

Fire = Dryness + Heat

Air = Heat + Moisture

Water = Moisture + Cold

Earth = Cold + Dryness

So, Water, being Cold+Moist is uniting and flexible, slow reacting and short of duration. The Water person would be accommodating, tolerant, frugal, and inoffensive, but timid, sluggish, uncreative, unresponsive, unmotivated, and rather emotionally indifferent.

As for "mysterious" this would be the Earthy Melanchollic (Cold+Dry). They are slow reacting but long of duration, this makes them introspective, penetrating, reflective, and visionary, but they are also critical, solitary, depressed, withdrawn and unforgiving.

As for "emotion", it depends on which emotion you are talking about. The fiery Choleric is angry, the airy Sanguine is cheerful, and the Melancholic is, well... melancholy.

Fecundity would probably fit best with either of the 'dry' elements, Fire or Earth. These have the ability to make their ideas happen (long of duration). Air is full of quick inspirations, but rarely has the ability to manifest the ideas. Phlegmatics are like Hobbits, they like to be comfortable, not productive or creative. Earth is slow and reflective, so deep and penetrating ideas are born from the Melancholic mind. Fire is quick and has duration, and the Choleric energy and competitiveness is endlessly productive, though anger and ego can be real hurdles.

Nickname - "The Perfectionist"
Element - Earth/Fire
Temper - Melancholic Choleric
Power - Dry
Timing - Long
Movement - Rigid
Direction - Southwest
In the cycle of a year - August/September
In the cycle of a day - Afternoon
In the cycle of a life - Age 21~28
Sex - Male
Similar Cards - 4 Swords, 10 Swords, Valet Swords, 7 Batons, 1 Batons

The King of Batons represents the perfection of both the task, and the doer of the task. The court of the Batons progresses from industriousness, then innovation, then cultivation, to perfection. On the Tetractys, he shares the peak with the 10 of Batons, Skill. It is by patient cultivation of skill that the King perfects his labors.

He may represent any situation that is 'perfect', or he may want to impose the needed Power of Dryness onto our situation - rigid and rigorous. He suggests if we only have patience and focus, we will have perfection.

It is by patient cultivation of skill that the King perfects his labors.

He suggests if we only have patience and focus, we will have perfection.

What a fortuitous, or at the very least well chosen, interpretation on which to complete this series, O King of great Labour! I only hope that this will not herald the end of a delightful conversation but lead to many further shared insights.

What a fortuitous, or at the very least well chosen, interpretation on which to complete this series, O King of great Labour! I only hope that this will not herald the end of a delightful conversation but lead to many further shared insights.

Thank you for your generosity and commitment to this!

CED

Thank you CED!

Ahhh. The deed is done! All 56 pips & courts conjectured, categorized, and concisely conveyed... hopefully. May my efforts inspire others to do likewise, and come to some 'intimate arrangement' with the cards, and your own personal vision of them.

Well, I don't know about you folks, but I'm famished. I've arranged the caterers to prepare a complimentary dessert buffet, with fancy teas, coffees, and Italian dessert wines.

Followed of course by...

KARAOKE!!!

The girls from work inadvertently rip the fabric of the
universe with their rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Oh Mel, here I am trying to get serious with my take on the humors and you distract me with the most wonderful feast and party. Then I see you've changed your picture to Mr D. Duck. ROFL

I'm easily distracted with a party. Oh, and I've brought along some bottles of NZ Chardonnay and Sav Blanc.

Getting serious for a minute. Mel, I love your book (YES, it is a book, and a damn fine one too!) Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us. I am learning so much from it that my Italian deck is in full use and I rarely touch my Rider Waite these days. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Oh! what a lavish spread..... says she, tucking in with gusto! (I've brought some cheesy-bits to finish off with.)
.....................

Quote:

conversus: I only hope that this will not herald the end of a delightful conversation but lead to many further shared insights................. Mel, I love your book (YES, it is a book, and a damn fine one too!)

Ater getting these associations/understandings under our belts, I'm hoping we can apply them to various readings using the 3-card spread in this thread, and the other two spreads, The Tirage en Croix and the Astrological one..

If the info from his other posts (Temperaments, dignities, elemental associations etc.) plus these pip-and-court meanings and the 3 spreads, are put together, this IS a book.... and one that has an authentic historical foundation.

SO........ maybe he should consider getting it published. There's a glaring great hole in the market for a non-RWS approach. Additionally, the playing cards are not exempt from it!